ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has filed a contempt of court plea against Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) over the ban on his speeches in the Lahore High Court (LHC).
Barrister Ahmad Pansota filed the contempt plea against PEMRA on behalf of PTI Chief Imran Khan, and the Chairman of PEMRA has been made respondent in the plea.
According to the details, the plea stated that despite the suspension of PEMRA’s ban by the LHC, TV channels are still being pressured not to broadcast PTI Chief Imran Khan’s speeches.
The plea further stated that PEMRA is violating court orders and the Chairman of PEMRA should be summoned in a personal capacity.
Earlier, the Lahore High Court had suspended the notification by PEMRA that banned the live speeches and press talks of Imran Khan.
PEMRA had imposed a ban on broadcasting ‘recorded and live’ speeches and press conferences of Imran Khan on all satellite television channels with immediate effect.
Ban on PTI Chairman speeches
The authority had claimed that after analyzing the content of Imran Khan’s speech, it was observed that the content was aired live by the television channels without an effective time delay mechanism, which violates PEMRA laws and disobeys judgments passed by the courts.
Imran Khan’s speeches are often a topic of controversy, and he has been accused of using hate speech and inciting violence. However, his supporters claim that the ban on his speeches violates freedom of speech.
The contempt plea against PEMRA is the latest development in the ongoing legal battle between Imran Khan and PEMRA. Political analysts and media experts are closely watching the case as a test of Pakistan’s commitment to democracy and freedom of speech
